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Two children identified as suspects in Teller fire

On July 12, a fire in Teller, Alaska, burned down four buildings and threatened many more. Now police have identified a pair of suspects, both minors, the Nome Nugget reports.

Villagers have made unconfirmed reports that the children were playing in one of the buildings with cigarette lighters before the fire started. Troopers say the fire began in the second floor of the former village store, Teller Commerical Co. It moved into two adjoining buildings used for storage by the Blodgett family, which owns the four buildings that burned. The last building to burn down contained the offices of Mary’s Igloo Traditional Council.

Firefighters and volunteers contained the fire with the help of seawater. A loader purchased in 2007 that was used to move potential tinder was lost when it became stuck in a utility recess and caught fire. Its fuel exploded.